How to fix Apple Mail issues when it’s not working properly: Best 2025 methods

Apple Mail is easy to use, works well with multiple accounts, and I get to enjoy the integration with the larger ecosystem. 

However, it can occasionally run into issues. I've had my fair share of problems, but luckily, I've always managed to get on top of each.

If the Apple Mail app is not working on your Mac, I'll walk you through the most probable causes and the fixes you can try. 

How to fix most common Apple Mail issues when it doesn't work

If your Apple Mail is not working on your Mac, you can go through the best solutions I picked for each issue.

But before that, here's a quick-fix guide to get you back on your feet as soon as possible:

I have a problem	Do this
Mail won't open or refresh	Open Finder > Applications and try launching Mail from there. Also, check your internet connection.
Mail won't quit	Force quit using Activity Monitor or QuitAll.
Mail keeps crashing	Update macOS and re-enable the accounts.
Search isn't working	Rebuild Spotlight index vie Terminal.
Mail is slow	Clear Mail cache with CleanMyMac.
New emails aren't showing	Disable and re-enable accounts in Mail > Settings > Accounts.
Still not working? Try an alternative	Use Canary Mail or Spark Mail for more features and AI assistance.

Apple Mail won't open or refresh on a Mac

If Mail won't open on Mac, start by checking whether the app is installed correctly. Open Finder > Applications > Find Mail.

If it's there, open it from this folder instead of the Dock or Launchpad. If it opens but can't sync your latest emails, the issue is likely a slow or unstable internet connection. You can check if this is the issue in a few simple steps:

1. Click the Wi-Fi icon to ensure you are connected to a network.
2. Open your browser and visit a web page.

Preferably, choose a web page that may not be cached by your browser, and keep an eye on how fast it loads. If you aren't sure about the connection, try a different one.

Apple Mail won't quit

If your app is frozen or unresponsive, it may not quit, no matter how many times you click the red button. If that's what you are dealing with, there are still several options to close the app.

Solution 1: Use the Dock to force quit

The Dock has an option for quitting open apps:

1. Right-click on the mail icon in the Dock.
2. Click Quit.

It's simple but may not be the most powerful, so try other methods if it doesn't work.

Solution 2: Force quit using Activity Monitor

The Activity Monitor will show the Mail app as well as all its background processes, so it's more powerful than quitting from Dock.

Here's how to force quit Mail on Mac using Activity Monitor:

1. Open Activity Monitor (Applications > Utilities).
2. Search for Mail.
3. Click on it, then click the X button on the top.
4. Click Force Quit when prompted.

If there are no deeper issues, restart Mail, and it will work.

Apple Mail keeps crashing

If Mail keeps crushing, the problem is likely corrupted files, outdated settings, or a software glitch.

To troubleshoot this, start with the easiest solution.

Solution 1:  Force quit with QuitAll

Sometimes, a restart is all you need to get everything working as it should. If the Dock and Activity Monitor methods don't seem to quit Mail's background process, you can use a third-party app like QuitAll.

QuitAll lets you quit or force quit the  selected apps (or all of them) within one click from the menu bar: 

Solution 2: Update Apple Mail and macOS

Maybe the problem is a software issue in either the Mail app or the OS version you are using. In that case, update macOS, which should also update the Mail app (it's part of the Operating System).

1. Click Apple menu > System Settings.
2. Click General > Software Update.
3. If there's an update, install it.

Solution 3: Update synchronization

If you can't seem to get your emails, confirm that the client is well set up. There are different ways to do this:

• Refresh the account: When the app is open, go to Mail > Settings > Accounts. Deselect Enable this account, then select it after a few seconds.
• Remove and re-add your accounts: Go to the Apple menu > System Settings > Internet accounts. Choose your account, then remove it. Click Add Account and follow the prompts.
• Check account settings: Open Apple Mail > Click Mail in the menu bar> Settings > Accounts. Check the server settings and ensure the account type is IMAP.

You can then restart the Mail app.

Search doesn't work in Mail

Sometimes, Apple Mail may not find the emails you are looking for due to indexing issues or outdated settings. The feature relies on the system-wide Spotlight search feature, so issues with the functionality may also cause search issues on Mail.

Here are some troubleshooting fixes you can try.

Solution 1: Check Spotlight search settings

Since Mail search relies on Spotlight, confirm that the app is enabled in Spotlight's settings.

1. Go to Apple menu > System Settings.
2. Click on Spotlight.
3. Confirm Mail & Messages is enabled.
4. Restart your Mac.

Try searching again to see if it now works.

Solution 2: Use Terminal to rebuild Spotlight index

Spotlight may be having trouble indexing your Mails, but you can manually force it to re-index the app.

Here's the procedure on Terminal:

1. Open Terminal (Applications > Utilities).
2. Type and run the command sudo –i.
3. Enter your password, then press Return.
4. Type and run the command mdutil –Ea.
5. Run the command mdutil -ai off then mdutil -ai on.

Spotlight will now index your Mac storage afresh, and this should solve all search issues.

Apple Mail app is slow

If Mail is taking forever to load your emails or even freezing, try speeding it up.

Solution 1:  Close all drafts

When you have many drafts you haven't sent out, they can slow down the app. After opening Mail, click Drafts on the left-side panel and delete any that you don't need. Focus more on the drafts that have attachments.

Solution 2: Merge Apple Mail windows

Multiple Mail windows can also slow things down, so it's good to check if that's the issue. If you have multiple ones open, click Window in the menu bar> Merge All Windows to consolidate everything into one window.

Solution 3: Use CleanMyMac to clear Mail's cache

Every time you use the Mail app, it creates some data, otherwise known as cache. This data can accumulate over time, and it may eventually start slowing down the app. 

This is often the culprit when most Mac apps start misbehaving, so I rely on a solution that can quickly sort the issue for multiple apps — CleanMyMac. I consider it a must-have tool for Mac users as it can clean up junk, uninstall apps, remove leftover files, and even scan for malware.

Here's how to speed up Mail by clearing the cache with CleanMyMac:

1. Install and open CleanMyMac.
2. Go to the Cleanup tab.
3. Click Scan.
4. Click Review All Junk.
5. Go to User Cache Files and select Mail.app.
6. Click Clean Up.

Apple Mail should now run smoothly.

New emails aren't showing in the Mail inbox

If you can get your Mail on your phone or the browser but not on the Mail client, this is usually a syncing issue. 

Here's how to refresh Mail on Mac.

Solution 1: Quit and reopen Mail

Restarts are sometimes magical, so restart the app to see if this fixes the issue. Start by quitting Mail completely.

Solution 2:  Check the Activity Window

The syncing process may not be happening due to a stuck Mail process. You can check this by opening the app's Activity window.

1. Open Mail.
2. Click Window in the menu bar > Activity.
3. Force-close the app if you see any stalled processes.

Restart Mail.

Read also:

• How to Log Out Of Mail on Mac
• Block Emails on Gmail
• Force Quit on Mac
• Create an Email Signature

Solution 3: Re-enable Your email accounts

Disabling and then re-enabling your accounts can solve some issues and prompt the app to start syncing.

1. Open Mail.
2. Go to Mai in the menu bar > Settings > Accounts.
3. Click on your email account, then deselect Enable this account.
4. Select Enable this account after a few seconds.

Mail should now start fetching your latest emails. If it doesn't, it may be time to become open-minded.

Try Apple Mail alternatives

If Apple Mail is giving you headaches, why not try a free email alternative? You'll get smoother functionalities and much more features.

Canary Mail – A smarter, faster email experience

Canary Mail is my number pick as it's simple but much more powerful than Apple Mail. The app is AI-powered and designed to make everything smarter and simpler. 

For example, if you aren't sure where to start when writing an email, just give it a prompt, and it will do the job for you. You can then ask it to edit the content, whether you want to add something or shorten it. You can also get instant replies and conversation summaries when you are short on time or too lazy to catch up on a conversation.

Beyond AI assistance, you'll get to enjoy Canary Mail's handy tools for prioritizing important emails, encrypting sensitive ones, and scheduling for later.

Spark Mail – smarter email management for a more organized inbox

If your inbox feels like a never-ending to-do list, Spark Mail can be your new best friend. It's designed for efficiency, and it makes staying on top of your emails quite easier as it prioritizes the important ones and mutes distractions. Even if you have multiple accounts, you won't have to scroll through newsletters when you just want to reply to a work email.

The email client also has an AI assistant that can help you draft emails (with a tone that sounds like you), rephrase your text, or summarize emails. And when you want to collaborate with colleagues, you can add participants to your email and discuss everything in a private chat.

Why is Apple Mail not working?

Just like any other software, Apple Mail can act up for different reasons.

• Internet connection issues: If it's not refreshing, the problem might be your network.
• A corrupt cache: The app's cached data can cause issues after accumulation.
• Storage space: You may not have enough storage on your account.
• Log-in issues: Maybe you've provided the wrong password.
• Outdated macOS: Older versions can have functionality issues.
• Syncing issues: Sometimes, the app may struggle to fetch emails.

While some may seem complicated, they are all easy to fix, and you can use the info to prioritize different solutions.

Looking for another alternative? Here'show to get free Outlook app for Mac.

Easy fix: Apple Mail app not working issues 

If you are facing issues such as Mac mail not loading content or Mail won't open on Mac, you can solve these and similar ones with simple fixes such as force-quitting with QuitAll, updating macOS, and clearing the cache. The latter is a bit harder to do manually, but you can use CleanMyMac to do it with a few clicks. However, if you are tired of fixing mail issues, it might be time to switch to a smarter email client.

Canary Mail lets you take advantage of AI to draft, summarize, and reply to your emails. On the other hand, Spark Mail brings AI's smart organization to your Mac emails, allowing you to filter the clutter and focus on what matters. 

The best part? You can try all these apps with Setapp's 7-day free trial. Setapp has a single subscription plan but it will also give you access to 250+ apps for powering your Mac nad iPhone.

FAQ

How do I fix iOS Mail?

If the Mail app isn't working on your iPhone or iPad, there are several ways to fix iOS Mail:

1. Ensure that you have a working internet connection.
2. Restart your device.
3. Remove and re-add your email account from Settings > Mail > Accounts.
4. Update your iOS to fix any issues with the app or OS (Settings > General > Software Update).
5. Reset your Mail settings by toggling Mail off and back on under Settings > Mail > Accounts.

Can I reinstall Apple Mail?

You can't reinstall Apple Mail as it's part of macOS, so the only way to do that would be to reinstall the operating system. For a simpler and more efficient method, use CleanMyMac to delete all configuration files associated with the app.

How do I restore my Apple email?

If you've accidentally deleted your emails, you can restore your Apple email from Trash or Archive. If you've simply removed your email, you can re-add it by going to Mail > Settings > Accounts. Otherwise, try synchronizing the email.

Will I lose everything if I delete the Mail app?

You won't lose any emails by deleting the Mail app, as your messages are stored in the email provider's servers. All you need to do is sign in to another email client, such as Canary Mail or Spark Mail. Otherwise, reinstall your OS to get back Mail.

Can I delete Apple Mail cache?

You can delete your Apple Mail cache from ~/Library/Mail/V9/MailData. If you want an easier way of doing it, use CleanMyMac, as it only takes a couple of clicks to clear any app's cache.